Kukla's Korner Hockey

Robbie Ftorek huddled in a corner with his players as the Zamboni rolled onto the ice.

Practice was over, but Ftorek wasn’t done teaching. Even as a teenager, there always was time to teach.

Four decades ago, he was a budding hockey star from Needham, Mass., dreaming of scoring big goals and winning big games in Boston Garden. Coaching wasn’t on his mind. But the college coach running that clinic knew better.